U.S. patent application number 11/441609 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-20 for system and method of ion beam control in response to a beam glitch.
This patent application is currently assigned to Axcelis Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Yongzhang Huang, Patrick Splinter, David Tao, Que Weiguo, John Ye.
Application Number | 20080067433 11/441609 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39187605 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080067433 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weiguo; Que ; et
al. |
March 20, 2008 |
System and method of ion beam control in response to a beam
glitch
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a switch circuit and method
to quickly enable or disable the ion beam to a wafer within an ion
implantation system. The beam control technique may be applied to
wafer doping repaint and duty factor reduction. The circuit and
method may be used to quench an arc that may form between high
voltage electrodes associated with an ion source to shorten the
duration of the arc and mitigate non-uniform ion implantations. The
circuit and method facilitates repainting the ion beam over areas
where an arc was detected to recover dose loss during such arcing.
A high voltage high speed switching circuit is added between each
high voltage supply and its respective electrode to quickly
extinguish the arc to minimize disruption of the ion beam. The high
voltage switch is controlled by a trigger circuit which detects
voltage or current changes to each electrode. Protection circuits
for the HV switch absorb energy from reactive components and clamp
any overvoltages.
Inventors: |
Weiguo; Que; (Melrose,
MA) ; Huang; Yongzhang; (Hamilton, MA) ; Ye;
John; (Brighton, MA) ; Tao; David; (Saugus,
MA) ; Splinter; Patrick; (Middleton, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ESCHWEILER & ASSOCIATES, LLC;NATIONAL CITY BANK BUILDING
629 EUCLID AVE., SUITE 1000
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Assignee: |
Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
39187605 |
Appl. No.: |
11/441609 |
Filed: |
May 26, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60781977 |
Mar 14, 2006 |
|
|
|
60784852 |
Mar 22, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
250/492.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J 2237/2485 20130101;
H01J 2237/31703 20130101; H01J 37/026 20130101; H01J 37/3171
20130101; H01J 2237/30455 20130101; H01J 2237/24564 20130101; H01J
37/3045 20130101; H01J 37/241 20130101; H01J 2237/0206 20130101;
H01J 37/304 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
250/492.21 |
International
Class: |
H01J 37/317 20060101
H01J037/317 |
Claims
1. A method of quenching an arc in an ion implantation system and
repainting the ion beam to recover any dose loss during such arcing
using an arc quenching circuit associated with a high voltage
supply for an electrode of the ion implantation system comprising:
horizontally scanning a wafer in front of the ion beam; vertically
scanning the wafer in front of the ion beam; detecting a current or
voltage change associated with the arc at the electrode; monitoring
horizontal and vertical scan motions to obtain initial and final
scan positions associated with the detection of the arc;
controlling a HV switch connected between the high voltage supply
and the electrode to open when the arc is detected in order to
interrupt the high voltage supply to the electrode and to quench
the arc; controlling the HV switch to close when the arc is not
detected in order to connect the high voltage supply to the
electrode and to reestablish the ion beam; and repainting the ion
beam after an arc, the repainting process comprising: disabling the
ion beam by opening the HV switch; moving the wafer to the initial
or final scan position associated with the detection of the arc,
and closing the HV switch to enable the ion beam; and scanning the
wafer horizontally and vertically in front of the ion beam until
the other of the initial or final scan position associated with the
detection of the arc is encountered, and opening the HV switch to
disable the ion beam.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing two or
more arc quenching circuits having two or more high voltage
switches used to quench an arc between the electrodes of two or
more respective high voltage power supplies for the ion implanter,
and repainting the ion beam after an arc from the electrodes.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a time
duration of the detected arc, and wherein the repainting process is
only accomplished if the time duration of the arc detected is
longer than a predetermined interval.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the repainting process is delayed
until the ion beam scan returns to a wafer exchange position of the
wafer.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the repainting process is delayed
until the ion beam scan completes a current horizontal scan
movement.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the horizontal and vertical
scanning continue after the detection of an arc.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the repainting process is delayed
until the end of the ion beam scans, wherein one or more arc
detections may be repainted collectively during one or more
continuous scan movements.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ion beam is forced on or off
by the HV switch.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the HV switch is opened for a
predetermined time period following the detection of the arc.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the horizontal and
vertical scan positions associated with the detection of an arc,
comprises monitoring motion encoders coupled to horizontal and
vertical scan motors, and storing encoder position data associated
with the initial detection of the arc, and the final detection of
the arc.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ion beam is forced on or off
in response to a beam duty factor command from the ion implantation
system or a motion control system to disable the ion beam during
one of, arrival at a wafer load or unload position, a manual beam
OFF switch operation, and a wafer exchange, and to enable the ion
beam during one of, a manual beam ON switch operation, subsequent
to a wafer exchange, following a load operation, and upon a command
to implant another wafer.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the repainting process further
comprises: monitoring a time duration of the detected arc, and
repainting only if the time duration of the detected arc is longer
than a predetermined interval; continuously scanning the wafer
vertically and horizontally in front of the ion beam; forcing the
HV switch open to disable the ion beam for a predetermined time
that is longer than any anticipated arc duration; forcing the HV
switch closed again such that the ion beam recovers; forcing the HV
switch to open after completing a requested wafer scan; moving the
wafer to the initial scan position associated with the detection of
the arc in preparation for the repaint; closing the HV switch to
enable the ion beam; and repainting by scanning the wafer
horizontally and vertically in front of the ion beam until the
final scan position associated with the detection of the arc is
encountered, and opening the HV switch to disable the ion beam.
13. A method of quenching an arc in an ion implantation system
having an arc quenching circuit used in association with a high
voltage supply for an electrode of the ion implantation system
comprising: detecting a current or voltage change associated with
the arc at the electrode; controlling a HV switch connected between
the high voltage supply and the electrode to open when the arc is
detected in order to interrupt an arc current to the electrode and
to quench the arc; and controlling the HV switch to close when the
arc is not detected in order to connect the high voltage supply to
the electrode and to establish the ion beam.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring
horizontal and vertical scan motions associated with the ion beam
and a wafer being scanned by the ion implanter to obtain initial
and final scan positions associated with the detection of the
arc.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the horizontal and vertical
scanning continue after the detection of an arc.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring the horizontal and
vertical scan positions associated with the detection of an arc,
comprises monitoring motion encoders coupled to horizontal and
vertical scan motors, and storing encoder position data associated
with the initial detection of the arc, and the final detection of
the arc.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising synchronizing two or
more arc quenching circuits having two or more high voltage
switches used to quench an arc between the electrodes of two or
more respective high voltage power supplies for the ion implanter,
and repainting the ion beam after an arc from the electrodes.
18. An arc quenching circuit for a high voltage power supply of an
ion implantation system comprising: a high voltage switch connected
in series with the high voltage power supply for an electrode
associated with the implanter, operable to interrupt and
reestablish a current to the electrode, and to quench an arc
produced within the ion implantation system; a trigger control
circuit operable to detect a current or voltage change associated
with the arc and to control the HV switch to open or close based on
the detection; and one or more protection circuits associated with
the high voltage switch, operable to absorb energy from reactive
elements external to the HV switch, and to limit an over-voltage
across the switch.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a synchronization
circuit operable to synchronize and time two or more trigger
control circuits of two or more arc quenching circuits for the
opening and closing of two or more high voltage switches for the
ion implantation system.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the current or voltage change
detection associated with the arc comprises detecting one of a
current surge to the electrode, a current surge in the HV power
supply, a decrease in an ion beam current, a drop in a suppression
electrode voltage, and a drop in an extraction electrode
voltage.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the protection circuits
is connected in series with the HV switch it protects.
22. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the protection circuits
is connected in parallel with the HV switch it protects.
23. The system of claim 18, wherein the electrode comprises an
extraction suppression electrode located close to an ion source
used in the ion implantation system.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the high voltage power supply
is used for the ion source and wherein the arc quenching circuit is
operable to quench an arc associated with the ion source.
25. The system of claim 18, wherein the current or voltage
detection is accomplished during the ion implantation process to
facilitate feedback or closed-loop adjustments to the electrode
current or voltage.
26. The system of claim 18, wherein the current or voltage
detection is accomplished prior to the ion implantation process to
facilitate open loop adjustments to the electrode current or
voltage.
27. The system of claim 18, further comprising: a motion control
system operable to control horizontal and vertical scan motions of
a wafer implanted by the ion implanter, to monitor horizontal and
vertical scan positions associated with the detection of the arc,
and to initiate a return to an initial or final position along a
scan associated with the detection of the arc; and wherein the
trigger control circuit is further operable to receive a repaint
command from the motion control system, and to force the HV switch
on or off in response to the repaint command in order to repaint
the ion beam between the initial or final position along the scan
associated with the detection of the arc and the other of the
initial or final position associated with the detection of the arc,
thereby recovering any dose loss during such arcing.
28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a synchronization
circuit operable to synchronize and time two or more trigger
control circuits of two or more arc quenching circuits for the
opening and closing of two or more high voltage switches for the
ion implantation system.
29. The system of claim 18, wherein the trigger control circuit is
further operable to receive a beam duty factor command from the ion
implantation system or motion control system to disable the HV
switch during one of, arrival at a manual beam OFF switch
operation, and a wafer exchange position; and to enable the HV
switch during one of, a manual beam ON switch operation, subsequent
to a wafer exchange, following a load operation, and upon a command
to implant another wafer.
30. The system of claim 18, wherein the trigger control circuit is
commanded by an external trigger input.
31. An ion implantation system comprising: an ion source for
producing a quantity of ions which can be extracted in the form of
an ion beam, the ion beam having a beam current; a high voltage
switch connected in series with a high voltage power supply for an
electrode associated with the implanter, the high voltage switch
operable to interrupt and reestablish a current to the electrode to
quench an arc produced within the ion implantation system; a
trigger control circuit operable to detect a current or voltage
change associated with the electrode and to control the one or more
HV switches to open or close based on the detection; and one or
more protection circuits, each protection circuit associated with
one of the high voltage switches, operable to absorb energy from
reactive elements external to the respective HV switch, and to
limit an over-voltage across the switch.
32. A method of repainting an ion beam to a wafer in an ion
implantation system following detection and quenching of an arc
using an arc quenching circuit associated with a high voltage
supply for an extraction electrode of the ion implantation system
to recover any dose loss during such arcing, the repainting method
comprising: scanning the wafer in front of the ion beam using
horizontal and vertical scan motions; detecting a current or
voltage change associated with the arc; monitoring the wafer scan
motions to obtain an initial scan position associated with the
detection of the arc; controlling a HV switch of the arc quenching
circuit connected between the high voltage power supply and the
electrode to open when the arc is detected in order to interrupt
the power to the electrode and to quench the arc; monitoring the
wafer scan motions to obtain a final scan position associated with
the detection of the arc, wherein the arc is no longer detected;
and controlling the HV switch to close when the arc is not detected
in order to reconnect the high voltage supply to the electrode and
to reestablish the ion beam.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the HV switch of the arc
quenching circuit is held open for a predetermined time period
after the arc is initially detected and before controlling the HV
switch to close when the arc is not detected.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising repainting the wafer
in front of the ion beam after the end of the wafer scans, the
repainting comprising; disabling the ion beam by opening the HV
switch; moving the wafer to the initial or final scan position
associated with the detection of the arc, and closing the HV switch
to enable the ion beam; and scanning the wafer in front of the ion
beam until the other of the initial or final scan positions
associated with the detection of the arc is encountered, and
opening the HV switch to disable the ion beam.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein one or more arc detections is
repainted collectively during one or more continuous scan
motions.
36. The method of claim 32, further comprising repainting the ion
beam after the arc detection, the repainting process comprising:
disabling the ion beam at the initial scan position associated with
the detection of the arc by opening the HV switch; continue
scanning the wafer until the end of the present horizontal scan
motion and the final scan position associated with the detection of
the arc; enabling the ion beam by closing the HV switch; scanning
the wafer in front of the ion beam from the final scan position
associated with the detection of the arc toward the initial scan
position associated with the detection of the arc, disabling the
ion beam at the initial scan position associated with the detection
of the arc by opening the HV switch; scanning the wafer in front of
the ion beam until the final scan position associated with the
detection of the arc is again encountered, and closing the HV
switch to enable the ion beam; and scanning the wafer in front of
the ion beam until the end of the wafer scans, and opening the HV
switch to disable the ion beam.
37. The method of claim 32, further comprising synchronizing two or
more arc quenching circuits having two or more high voltage
switches used to quench an arc between the electrodes of two or
more respective high voltage power supplies for the ion implanter,
and repainting the ion beam after an arc from the electrodes.
38. The method of claim 32, further comprising monitoring a time
duration of the detected arc, and wherein the repainting process is
only accomplished if the time duration of the arc detected is
longer than a predetermined interval.
39. The method of claim 32, wherein the repainting process is
delayed until the ion beam scan returns to a wafer exchange
position.
40. The method of claim 32, wherein the repainting process is
delayed until the ion beam scan completes a current horizontal scan
movement.
41. The method of claim 32, wherein the repainting process is
delayed until the end of the wafer scans, wherein one or more arc
detections may be repainted collectively during one or more
continuous scan movements disabling the ion beam by opening the HV
switch; moving the wafer to the initial or final scan position
associated with the detection of the arc, and closing the HV switch
to enable the ion beam; and scanning the wafer in front of the ion
beam until the other of the initial or final scan positions
associated with the detection of the arc is encountered, and
opening the HV switch to disable the ion beam.
42. The method of claim 32, wherein monitoring the horizontal and
vertical scan positions associated with the detection of an arc,
comprises monitoring motion encoders coupled to horizontal and
vertical scan motors, and storing encoder position data associated
with the initial detection of the arc, and the final detection of
the arc.
43. The method of claim 32, wherein the ion beam is forced on or
off in response to a beam duty factor command from the ion
implantation system or a motion control system to disable the ion
beam during one of, arrival at a wafer load or unload position, a
manual beam OFF switch operation, and a wafer exchange, and to
enable the ion beam during one of, a manual beam ON switch
operation, subsequent to a wafer exchange, following a load
operation, and upon a command to implant another wafer.
44. A method of quenching an arc associated with an ion beam in an
extraction system of an ion source comprising: detecting a current
or voltage change associated with the arc within the extraction
system; controlling a high voltage switch connected between a high
voltage supply and the extraction system to open when the arc is
detected in order to interrupt the high voltage supply to the
electrode and to quench the arc; and controlling the HV switch to
close when the arc is not detected in order to reconnect the high
voltage supply to the extraction system and to reestablish the ion
beam.
45. The method of claim 44, further comprising: monitoring
horizontal and vertical scan motions to obtain initial and final
scan positions associated with the detection of the arc.
46. The method of claim 45, further comprising: scanning a wafer in
front of the ion beam using horizontal and vertical scan
motions.
47. The method of claim 46, further comprising repainting the wafer
in front of the ion beam after the arc has been detected and the
ion beam has been reestablished, the repainting comprising:
disabling the ion beam by opening the high voltage switch; moving
the wafer to the initial or final scan position associated with the
detection of the arc, and closing the high voltage switch to enable
the ion beam; and scanning the wafer in front of the ion beam until
the other of the initial or final scan positions associated with
the detection of the arc is encountered, and opening the high
voltage switch to disable the ion beam.
48. The method of claim 44, wherein the high voltage switch is held
open for a predetermined time period after the arc is initially
detected and before controlling the HV switch to close when the arc
is not detected.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 60/781,977 which was filed Mar.
14, 2006, entitled ARC QUENCHING CIRCUIT TO MITIGATE ION BEAM
DISRUPTION, and 60/784,852 which was filed Mar. 22, 2006, entitled
A METHOD OF ION BEAM CONTROL FOR GLITCH RECOVERY the entirety of
which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to ion implantation
systems, and more particularly to an arc quenching circuit for
extinguishing an arc that may form between high voltage electrodes
within an ion implantation system, and to a method of repainting
the ion beam to recover any dose losses during such arcing to
attain more uniform ion implantations and duty factor
reduction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Ion implantation systems are used to impart impurities,
known as dopant elements, into semiconductor substrates or wafers,
commonly referred to as workpieces. In such systems, an ion source
ionizes a desired dopant element, and the ionized impurity is
extracted from the ion source as a beam of ions. The ion beam is
directed (e.g., swept) across respective workpieces to implant
ionized dopants within the workpieces. The dopant ions alter the
composition of the workpieces causing them to possess desired
electrical characteristics, such a may be useful for fashioning
particular semiconductor devices, such as transistors, upon the
substrates.
[0004] The continuing trend toward smaller electronic devices has
presented an incentive to "pack" a greater number of smaller, more
powerful and more energy efficient semiconductor devices onto
individual wafers. This necessitates careful control over
semiconductor fabrication processes, including ion implantation and
more particularly the uniformity of ions implanted into the wafers.
Moreover, semiconductor devices are being fabricated upon larger
workpieces to increase product yield. For example, wafers having a
diameter of 300 mm or more are being utilized so that more devices
can be produced on a single wafer. Such wafers are expensive and,
thus, make it very desirable to mitigate waste, such as having to
scrap an entire wafer due to non-uniform ion implantation. Larger
wafers and high density features make uniform ion implantation
challenging, however, since ion beams have to be scanned across
larger angles and distances to reach the perimeters of the wafers,
yet not miss implanting any region therebetween.
[0005] In addition, the high voltage necessary to supply the ion
source of such an ion beam is subject to occasional arcing between
the various extraction and suppression electrodes and other nearby
parts. This tendency for arcing often fully discharges one or more
affected HV supplies until the arc naturally self-extinguishes at a
much lower supply voltage. While arcing, the beam current may
become serious erratic or may be interrupted until the supply
voltage is restored, during which time ion implantation may
experience intermittent or non-uniform ion implantation dose
levels. Accordingly, there is a need for mitigating the effects of
HV arcing associated with an ion source or the electrodes of an ion
implanter to provide uniform implantation over such larger
implantation angles and distances of the ion beam.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The following presents a simplified summary in order to
provide a basic understanding of one or more aspects of the
invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the
invention, and is neither intended to identify key or critical
elements of the invention, nor to delineate the scope thereof.
Rather, the primary purpose of the summary is to present some
concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the
more detailed description that is presented later.
[0007] The present invention is directed to a circuit for quenching
an arc that may form between high voltage (HV) electrodes
associated with the ion source of an ion implantation system to
shorten the duration of the arc, to mitigate erratic ion beam
current, and to mitigate non-uniform ion implantations, for
example. Several high voltage high speed (HVHS) switching circuit
arrangements are disclosed that each incorporate a HVHS switch
added in series between each high voltage supply and its respective
electrode (e.g., a suppression or extraction electrode) associated
with the ion source for quickly extinguishing the harmful arcs. The
arcs that otherwise form in these areas have a tendency to
substantially discharge the high voltage capacitors within such HV
power supplies, for example, for the ion source or extraction
electrode supply voltage (Vext), or the suppression electrode
supply voltage (Vsup). Consequently, the ion beam current is
dramatically affected by these "glitches" in the ion beam current
(Ibeam), and accordingly takes considerable time thereafter for the
supply voltages and beam current Ibeam to recover. Thus, the arc
quench circuit of the present invention mitigates ion beam
disruption and speeds beam current recovery.
[0008] Further, the circuit and method also facilitates repainting
the ion beam over those areas where an arc was detected to recover
any dose loss during such arcing.
The circuit also comprises a motion control system operable to
control horizontal and vertical scan motions of a wafer implanted
by the ion implanter, to monitor horizontal and vertical scan
positions associated with the detection of the arc, and to initiate
a return to an initial position along a scan associated with the
detection of the arc.
[0009] The trigger control circuit of the present invention may
also be further operable to receive a repaint command from the
motion control system, and to force the HV switch on or off in
response to the repaint command in order to repaint the ion beam
between the initial position along the scan associated with the
detection of the arc and a final position associated with the
detection of the arc, thereby recovering any dose loss during such
arcing.
[0010] According to one or more aspects of the present invention,
an arc quenching circuit for an ion source of an ion implantation
system suitable for use in implanting ions into one or more
workpieces is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, the system
includes one or more high voltage high speed (HS) switches
connected in series with a HV power supply (HVPS) for the ion
source (or one of several HV extraction or suppression electrodes),
the HVHS switches operable to interrupt the HV power supply current
to the ion source or electrodes to quench the arc, and further
operable to reestablish the power supply current. The quantities of
ions that can be extracted from the ion source are in the form of
an ion beam having a beam current. The system also includes a
trigger control circuit operable to detect a current or voltage
change associated with the ion source or HV electrodes and to
control the one or more HVHS switches to open or close based on the
current or voltage change detection. One or more protection
circuits are also included to protect the respective HVHS switch,
and are operable to absorb energy from reactive elements external
to the respective HV switch, and to clamp an over-voltage that may
occur across the switch.
[0011] In another aspect of the invention the system further
comprises a synchronization circuit operable to synchronize and
time the trigger control circuits of two or more arc quenching
circuits for the opening and closing of two or more high voltage
switches.
[0012] In still another aspect, the current or voltage change
detection associated with the ion source comprises detecting one of
a current surge in the HV power supply, a decrease in an ion beam
current, a drop in a suppression electrode voltage, and a drop in
an extraction electrode voltage.
[0013] In yet another aspect, one of the protection circuits is
connected in series with the HV switch it protects.
[0014] In one aspect, one of the protection circuits is connected
in parallel with the HV switch it protects.
[0015] In another aspect of the present invention the system
further comprises an extraction suppression electrode located close
to the ion source.
[0016] In still another aspect, the current or voltage detection is
accomplished during the ion implantation process to facilitate
feedback or closed-loop adjustments to the ion source current or
voltage.
[0017] In yet another aspect, the current or voltage detection is
accomplished prior to the ion implantation process to facilitate
open loop adjustments to the ion source current or voltage.
[0018] In another aspect, the current or voltage detection is
accomplished during the ion implantation process to facilitate
feedback or closed-loop adjustments to the ion beam current.
[0019] In accordance with one or more other aspects of the present
invention, an arc quenching circuit for a high voltage power supply
of an ion implantation system is also disclosed comprising a high
voltage switch connected in series with a high voltage power supply
for an electrode associated with the implanter, operable to
interrupt and reestablish a current to the electrode, to quench an
arc produced within the ion implantation system. The system also
includes a trigger control circuit operable to detect a current or
voltage change associated with the electrode and to control the one
or more HV switches to open or close based on the detection.
Finally, the system comprises one or more protection circuits, each
protection circuit associated with one of the high voltage
switches, operable to absorb energy from reactive elements external
to the respective HV switch, and to limit an over-voltage across
the switch.
[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a method of quenching an arc in an ion implantation system and
repainting the ion beam to recover any dose loss during such arcing
using an arc quenching circuit associated with a high voltage
supply for an electrode of the ion implantation system comprises
horizontally scanning a wafer in front of the ion beam,
[0021] vertically scanning the wafer in front of the ion beam,
detecting a current or voltage change associated with an arc at the
electrode, monitoring the horizontal and vertical scan positions
associated with the detection of an arc, and monitoring the time
duration associated with the detection of an arc. The method
further comprises controlling a HV switch connected between the
high voltage supply and the electrode to open when an arc is
detected in order to interrupt an arc current to the electrode and
to quench the arc, controlling the HV switch to close when the arc
is not detected in order to connect the high voltage supply to the
electrode and to establish the ion beam, and repainting the ion
beam after an arc.
[0022] In another aspect of the invention the repainting process
comprises
[0023] moving the wafer to a first horizontal and vertical scan
position associated with an initial detection of the arc, and
closing the HV switch to enable the ion beam, and scanning the
wafer horizontally and vertically in front of the ion beam until a
second horizontal and vertical scan position associated with a
final detection of the arc is encountered, and opening the HV
switch to disable the ion beam.
[0024] In yet another aspect of the invention the method further
comprises synchronizing two or more arc quenching circuits having
two or more high voltage switches used to quench an arc between the
electrodes of two or more respective high voltage power supplies
for the ion implanter, and repainting the ion beam subsequent to
detecting an arc from the electrodes.
[0025] In another aspect of the present invention the repainting
process is only accomplished if the time duration of the arc
detected is longer than a predetermined interval.
[0026] In still another aspect, the repainting process is delayed
until the ion beam scan returns to a wafer exchange position of the
wafer.
[0027] In yet another aspect, the repainting process is delayed
until the ion beam scan completes a current horizontal scan
movement.
[0028] In one aspect, the horizontal and vertical scanning continue
after the detection of an arc.
[0029] In another aspect, the repainting process is delayed until
the end of the ion beam scans, wherein one or more arc detections
may be repainted collectively during one or more continuous scan
movements.
[0030] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the
following description and annexed drawings set forth in detail
certain illustrative aspects and implementations of the invention.
These are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the
principles of the invention may be employed. Other aspects,
advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description of the invention when
considered in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating components
of an ion implantation system according to one or more aspects of
the present invention to quench an arc associated with an ion
source of the ion implanter;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary ion
implantation system such as may utilize the arc quenching circuit
of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a plot of the change in the beam current and the
extraction and suppression voltages within an ion implanter during
arcing of the high voltage electrodes of the ion implantation
system of FIG. 2;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary
suppression electrode high voltage supply circuit having a
conventional arc suppression circuit such as may be used in an ion
implantation system;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary arc
quenching circuit utilized in association with the high voltage
supply of an ion source such as may be used in an ion implantation
system in accordance with the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 6 is a graphical representation depicting the arc
quenching effects of opening and closing a HVHS switch of the arc
quenching circuit of the present invention tested in a vacuum
during arcing of an extraction electrode associated with an ion
source;
[0037] FIG. 7 is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary arc
quenching circuit used in an ion implanter, utilizing a HVHS switch
in three high voltage supplies of the ion implanter, and utilizing
a synchronization circuit to sequence and synchronize the
reestablishment of the current and voltage to each of three
electrodes and high voltage supply circuits illustrated and
associated with an ion implantation system;
[0038] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary protection
circuit such as may be used across or in series with a HVHS switch
to absorb energy from reactive elements external to the respective
HV switch, and to limit an over-voltage across the switch in
accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 9A is a simplified diagram of normal 2D wafer scanning
motion between an exemplary ion beam and a wafer, wherein the wafer
is moved simultaneously in a horizontal and vertical direction by a
motion control system in accordance with one or more aspects of the
present invention;
[0040] FIGS. 9B, 9C and 9D are simplified diagrams of 2D wafer scan
motion between an exemplary ion beam and a wafer similar to that of
FIG. 9A, wherein when an arc is encountered, the ion beam may be
disrupted for a longer duration creating a glitch stripe having a
corresponding longer loss of dose, such disrupted areas as may be
repainted in accordance with one or more aspects of the present
invention;
[0041] FIGS. 9E, 9F and 9G are simplified diagrams of 2D wafer scan
motion between an exemplary ion beam and a wafer similar to that of
FIG. 9A, wherein when an arc is encountered, the ion beam may be
disrupted briefly creating a glitch hole having a corresponding
brief loss of dose, such disrupted areas as may be repainted in
accordance with one or more other aspects of the present
invention;
[0042] FIG. 10A is another simplified block diagram of an exemplary
arc quenching circuit utilized in association with the high voltage
supply of an ion source such as may be used in an ion implantation
system in accordance with the present invention, wherein the
trigger control circuit has an external trigger input for
externally controlling the triggering of the HVHS switch, for
example, with a faraday cup current input;
[0043] FIG. 10B illustrates the effect of external switch control
as may be provided to the external trigger input of the exemplary
arc quenching circuit of FIG. 10A, used in accordance with one or
more aspects of the present invention;
[0044] FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary
arc quenching controller used in an ion implanter, utilizing a HVHS
switch between a high voltage supply and an electrode of the
implanter, and utilizing a switch control circuit to sequence,
control, and synchronize the reestablishment of the current and
voltage to one or more electrodes, determine the duration of arc
loss, and coordinate repaint commands from a motion control system
or forced switch control commands from the ion implantation system
in accordance with one or more aspects of the present
invention;
[0045] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
quenching an arc in an ion implanter, using an arc quenching
circuit of the present invention in accordance with several aspects
of the present invention; and
[0046] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
repainting the ion beam to recover dose loss due to arcing in an
ion implanter, for example, using the arc quenching controller of
FIG. 11 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to refer
to like elements throughout. The illustrations and following
descriptions are exemplary in nature, and not limiting. Thus, it
will be appreciated that variants of the illustrated systems and
methods and other such implementations apart from those illustrated
herein are deemed as falling within the scope of the present
invention and the appended claims.
[0048] The present invention relates to quenching an arc that may
form between high voltage extraction or suppression electrodes, for
example, associated with an ion source of an ion implantation
system. An arc quenching circuit is discussed that shortens the
duration of the arc, thereby mitigating the duration of erratic ion
beam current, and minimizing the non-uniformity of ion
implantations, for example.
[0049] Further, the circuit and method also facilitates repainting
the ion beam over those areas where an arc was detected in order to
recover any dose loss during such arcing. In one aspect, the
circuit may also comprise or communicate with a motion control
system operable to control horizontal and vertical scan motions of
a wafer implanted by the ion implanter, to monitor horizontal and
vertical scan positions associated with the detection of the arc,
and to initiate a return to an initial position along a scan
associated with the detection of the arc.
[0050] In accordance with the present invention, high voltage high
speed (HVHS) switching circuits comprising HVHS switches (e.g., 65
KV @ 2 MHz MOSFET switches) are added in series with the high
voltage supplies to the suppression and/or extraction electrodes,
or ground electrodes, for example, to extinguish the harmful arcs.
When such HV arcs occur, the high voltage capacitors of such HV
power supplies may be substantially discharged. This deep discharge
dramatically affects the ion beam current and requires considerable
time thereafter for the power supply voltages and the ion beam
current Ibeam to recover. Such high voltage high speed switches
have just recently become available as a manufactured item, and
thus find immediate use in such applications incorporating the arc
quenching circuit(s) of the present invention.
[0051] Advantageously, these HVHS switches also provide the ion
implanter with the ability to simply turn the ion beam ON or OFF at
will, either manually with a switch or via command from one of the
implanters control systems, its computer, or by an external input.
As ion implanters may take a considerable time to sequence through
a power up and warm up to a stable ion beam level that is useful
for implantation, it is a tremendous advantage, after such a
warm-up, to be able to turn the beam ON/OFF, for example, when
loading or unloading a new wafer, at the start/end of each wafer
scan, and if desired, even in portions of the over-travel regions
of each row scan of a wafer. Thus, the system of the present
invention facilitates this beneficial feature, known as "beam duty
factor", which is the ratio of ON to OFF time of the ion beam. By
having this ability to reduce this beam duty factor, the inventors
of the present system also anticipate reducing the particle count
on a wafer, because the beam will be used to a greater percentage
usefully on the wafer and less on peripheral surfaces adjacent to
the wafer.
[0052] The high voltage switches are controlled by trigger circuits
which detect current or voltages changes in the HV supplies to the
electrodes, such changes as are associated with the formation of an
arc at one of the electrodes. The arc quenching circuit also
comprises one or more protection circuits for the HV switches to
absorb excess energy from reactive components surrounding the HVHS
switches and clamp any overvoltages from the HVHS switches. The
protection circuits may be connected in parallel with and/or in
series with a respective HVHS switch. The arc quenching circuits of
the present invention may further comprise a synchronization
circuit to sequence and synchronize the reestablishment of the
current and voltage to each of three electrodes and high voltage
supply circuits associated with an ion implantation system.
[0053] To facilitate repainting the ion beam over those areas where
the arc has occurred, the circuitry of the present invention also
communicates with the motion control system of the ion implanter.
In particular, during a typical implantation scan, horizontal
(e.g., row) and vertical motion of the wafer in front of the ion
beam (or the beam relative to the wafer) is monitored, typically by
the motion control system. When an arc occurs, the initial and
final horizontal and vertical positions associated with the arc
detection, for example, are stored for a subsequent repaint
process. Then, at the end of a particular row scan, or at the end
of the wafer scan, for example, around the load/unload or wafer
exchange position, the motion control system initiates the repaint
process.
[0054] In the repaint process, the ion beam is first disabled by
opening the HVHS switch, and the wafer is moved to a first
horizontal and vertical scan position associated with the initial
detection of the arc. Optionally, the beam may be scanned over the
wafer if the implanter facilitates this type of scanning.
Alternately, the repaint process may return the wafer motion to the
beginning of the row (horizontal) scan wherein the arc was
initially detected, where the scan motion can begin a row as usual
prior to the position of the initial arc detection. This variation
may be preferable, as the scan motion would then be fully
accelerated up to the same speed as that which was present when the
arc was initially detected. Thereafter, when the ion beam is at the
position of initial arc detection, the beam is enabled by closing
the HVHS switch, while the wafer is horizontally and vertically
scanned until a second horizontal and vertical scan position is
encountered associated with a final detection of the arc. When this
final detection point is reached, the HVHS switch is opened to
disable the ion beam.
[0055] Although the HVHS arc quenching circuit of the present
invention is illustrated and described in the context of ion
sources and ion implanters, those skilled in the art may appreciate
that such high voltage high speed arc quenching circuits may also
be utilized in other applications requiring HV and high speed arc
quenching, such as x-ray equipment, accelerators, other ion source
applications, for example. In this manner, unwanted arc shorting of
high voltage supplies may be quenched before the high voltage power
supply has been significantly discharged and has had a chance to
affect the output of related systems (e.g., the ion beam of an ion
implanter).
[0056] Referring initially to FIG. 1, an exemplary arc quenching
circuit 100 for a high voltage supply of an ion source suitable for
implementing one or more aspects of the present invention is
depicted in block diagram form. The circuit 100 includes a high
voltage power supply 102, a high voltage high speed HVHS switch
104, a current transformer (CT) 106 for detecting a change of
current in the supply 102 to an ion source 120 for producing a
quantity of ions that can be extracted in the form of an ion beam
130. The change of supply current to the ion source 120 is detected
by the CT 106 and a trigger control circuit 108 which opens HVHS
switch 104 when a current surge is detected.
[0057] The HVHS switch 104 is protected by parallel and series
protection circuits 110 and 115, respectively, to absorb energy
from reactive components surrounding the switch 104 and protect the
switch from over-voltage damage. The protection circuits 110 and
115 also protect the switch 104 and other components of the ion
implanter, by dampening any ringing induced by switching transients
and the reactive components external to the HVHS switch 104. The
arc quenching circuit 100 may be used in any ion implanter, or
other such applications as may use a high voltage supply subject to
arc discharges at the output of the supply.
[0058] For example, arc quenching circuit 100 operates by detecting
a current surge in CT 106 when an arc occurs within the ion source
120, at the extraction electrodes, or at the output of the ion
source, for example, as in the ion beam current. The trigger
control circuit 108 receives the current surge detection from the
CT 106 and in turn controls the HVHS switch 104 to open. When HVHS
switch 104 opens, the arc current through CT 106 drops to near zero
and the arc extinguishes or "quenches".
[0059] The inventors of the present invention have further found
that the arc must remain extinguished for a finite period of time
before the HVHS switch is closed again, or the more conductive
gaseous byproducts from the arc which remain in the region, will
permit the arc to reoccur. Thus, a delay time within the trigger
control circuit or within a synchronization circuit, (e.g., 740 of
FIG. 7), may provide such a delay, and will be discussed further
infra. Alternately, the switch may be allowed to repeatedly open
and close until the arc no longer reoccurs.
[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary ion implantation system 200
such as may utilize the arc quenching circuit similar to that of
100 of FIG. 1, of the present invention. For example, ion
implantation system 200 comprises an ion source 120 having several
extraction electrodes 208, for providing a source of ions as an ion
beam 130 for implantation system 200. The ions within ion beam 130
are initially analyzed in a first region 210 by a mass analyzing
magnet 212 by way of magnetic deflection to filter ions of unwanted
mass or energy. The mass analyzing magnet 212 operates to provide a
field across the beam path 130 so as to deflect ions from the ion
beam 130 at varying trajectories according to mass (e.g., charge to
mass ratio). Ions traveling through the magnetic field experience a
force that directs individual ions of a desired mass along the beam
path 130 and deflects ions of undesired mass away from the beam
path.
[0061] Those ions of ion beam 130 having the desired mass and
energy are then accelerated or decelerated in a second region 220,
focused by resolving aperture and deceleration plates 232, measured
by setup faraday cup 234, and in region 230, the beam is
conditioned by a plasma shower 236 providing for space charge
neutralization. Finally, the ion beam 130 enters an end station 240
for implantation in a wafer 242 the dose level of which is measured
by a disk faraday cup 244.
[0062] During ion implantation, an arc 205 may occur between the
high voltage extraction, suppression, or ground electrodes, for
example, associated with the ion source. In conventional
implantation systems, this arc has a tendency to completely
discharge the high voltage supply before the arc self-extinguishes.
The arc quenching circuit 100 of FIG. 1, for example, is designed
to avoid this problem.
[0063] FIG. 3, for example, illustrates a plot 300 of the change in
the beam current which results when an arc occurs in the high
voltage extraction and suppression voltages of an ion implanter
similar to the ion implantation system of FIG. 2.
[0064] Plot 300 of FIG. 3, for example, illustrates that an arc
discharges extraction voltage 310 from about 2.2 KV to near 0V at a
time 315 at about 0 ms. At about the same time, the suppression
voltage 320 drops from about -9.3 KV to near 0V while the beam
current Ibeam 330 drops to near 0 mA. As the extraction and
suppression voltages 310, and 320, respectively, fall to near 0
volts, the arc self extinguishes, thereby allowing these voltages
to recharge toward their original voltage levels. As shown at 340,
the extraction voltage 310 overshoots this original voltage, and
detrimentally delays the recovery of beam current Ibeam 330 until
time 345 at about 67 ms wherein extraction voltage 310 has
generally recovered. It may be observed from plot 300 that
extraction voltage changes have a relatively large and lasting
impact on beam current. Thus, FIG. 3 suggests that it may be very
beneficial to quickly open the high voltage current paths between
the electrodes for the ion beam and the high voltage supplies for
the electrodes before the HV supplies have had a chance to
significantly discharge. The HVHS switch of the present invention
accomplishes this goal.
[0065] FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of an exemplary ion
implantation system 400 having high positive voltage extraction
supply 403 which feeds extraction slits 404, and a high negative
voltage suppression supply 406 which feeds suppression electrodes
408 neighboring ground electrodes 409. The HV suppression supply
406 has a conventional arc suppression or protection circuit 410,
which may use a current limiting resistor 412 to limit the arc
current to the suppression electrodes 408, a capacitor 414 to
filter and stabilize the voltage of the supply, and a fly-back
diode 416 to limit any reverse voltages generated from reactive
elements of the circuit during arc on-off cycling. In the context
of the present invention, the arc protection board 410 may also be
used in association with the HVHS switch (e.g., 104 of FIG. 1) of
the invention to protect the HVHS switch from damage.
[0066] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary arc quenching circuit 500
utilized in association with a high voltage supply of an ion source
such as may be used in an ion implantation system in accordance
with the present invention. For example, arc quenching circuit 500
comprises a high voltage supply (Vb) 503 (e.g., a high voltage
positive supply) connected in series with a HVHS switch 504 (e.g.,
a series stack of MOSFET transistors) and a series switch
protection circuit 515, which drives a load (e.g., an ion source
120). The HVHS switch 504 is also connected in parallel with a
parallel protection circuit 510 which protects the switch 504 from
reactive overvoltages, for example. Arc quenching circuit 500,
further comprises a current transformer CT 506 that detects a
change of current in the supply 503 to the ion source 120, used for
example, for producing a quantity of ions that can be extracted in
the form of an ion beam (e.g., ion beam 130 of FIG. 1).
[0067] Circuit 500 also includes a trigger control unit 508 for
detecting a change of current in the supply current (Iext) 509 to
the ion source 120. If a current surge indicative of an arc, is
detected in supply current (Iext) 509 by the CT 506, then the
trigger control circuit 508 controls HVHS switch 504 to open and
quench the arc. A capacitance C1 518 within the load (e.g., an ion
source 120), and the voltage at the load (Va) is therefore isolated
by HVHS switch 504 from the voltage Vb of the high voltage supply
503. Thus, Va at C1 514 of the load may discharge due to the
occurrence of an arc, but the positive supply voltage Vb will
remain generally charged at voltage due to isolation by the HVHS
switch 504.
[0068] Again, the HVHS switch 504 is protected by parallel and
series protection circuits 510 and 515, respectively, to absorb
energy from reactive components external to the switch 504 and
therefore protect the switch from over-voltage damage. The arc
quenching circuit 500 of the present invention may be used in any
ion implanter, or other such applications as may use a high voltage
supply subject to arc discharges at the output of the supply.
[0069] FIG. 6 illustrates the arc quenching effects of opening and
closing a HVHS switch of the arc quenching circuit of the present
invention tested in a vacuum (e.g, 650 of FIG. 6), during arcing of
an extraction electrode associated with an ion source.
[0070] FIG. 6, illustrates a plot 650 of the relative amplitude
level of signals provided by an arc quenching circuit (e.g., 500 of
FIG. 5), in accordance with the present invention during arcing of
an extraction electrode (e.g., 208 of FIG. 2) associated with an
ion source (e.g., 120 of FIGS. 1 and 5), as tested in the actual
vacuum environment, for example, of an ion implanter. FIG. 6
further illustrates the faraday current detected 660, during the
opening and closing of a HVHS switch (e.g., 504 of FIG. 5) as
measured at the extraction electrode voltage Vext 670, which is fed
by a high positive supply voltage, and as triggered by a Vext
trigger control signal 680 derived by the current in the Vext power
supply (e.g., from CT 506), and having a suppression voltage Vsup
690, which is fed by a high negative supply voltage. FIG. 6 further
illustrates a voltage 670 across a HVHS switch 504 when the switch
is closed producing a high Vext level 670a and when the switch is
open producing a low Vext level 670b, the high voltage supply Vb
630 at the supply 503, and the high voltage Va 620 as seen at the
load (e.g., 120).
[0071] FIG. 6 further demonstrates that the HVHS switch can not
only greatly shorten the duration of the glitch, but also allows
the ion beam to recover quickly. Additional explanations will be
given in association with FIG. 10B.
[0072] Prior to time 0.0, when an arc occurs, the detected faraday
current I-faraday 660 is at a high level 660a, the positive power
supply voltage for electrode voltage Vext 670 is at a high positive
voltage level 670a, the negative power supply voltage for electrode
voltage Vsup 690 is at a low negative voltage level 690a, and Vext
trigger control signal 680 provides a switch closed 680a signal to
switch 504, which produces a high Vext level 670a. At time 0.0, an
arc occurs on the high voltage supply (e.g., Va 620), for example,
at the Vext electrode, and the Vext 670 and Vsup 690 voltages
quickly drop to zero, for example, as shown at 670b and 690b,
respectively. In response, the current detected by CT 506, for
example, is received by trigger control circuit 508 and provides a
switch open 680b signal on Vext trigger control signal 680 to
control HVHS switch 504 to open, which produces a low Vext level
670b. In addition, the detected faraday current l-faraday 660 drops
to a low current level 660b. With the HVHS switch now open, and
after about 0.3 ms, the Vext trigger control signal 680 returns to
the 680a level indicating that the arc has been extinguished, and
Vext trigger control signal 680 controls the HVHS switch to
re-close, and in response Vext 670 returns to the 670a level.
[0073] Thereafter, at around 0.6 ms, and with the arc extinguished,
the supply voltage at the load begins to recover enough for Vsup
690 to recover to the Vsup 690a level again, and shortly thereafter
at about 0.65ms-0.7 ms the beam current recovers as indicated by
I-faraday 660 recovering back to the 660a level. Thus, it is shown
that the arc quench circuit of the present invention is able to
quench an arc in the high voltages electrodes of an ion implanter,
for example, and minimize the length of an ion beam glitch to about
0.7 ms.
[0074] FIG. 7 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of
an exemplary arc quenching circuit 700 used in an ion implanter in
accordance with several aspects of the present invention. Arc
quenching circuit 700 is similar in several ways to that of FIGS.
1, 4 and 5, and as such need not be completely described again for
the sake of brevity. Circuit 700 utilizes HVHS switches (A, B, and
C) 704 (e.g., a series stack of MOSFET transistors) in three
separate high voltage power supplies (Vext 703, -Vsupl 731, and
-Vsup2 732) of the ion implanter. Arc quenching circuit 700 also
comprises current transformers (CT1, 2, and 3) 706 for detecting
current surges in each respective high voltage supply, and received
by trigger control circuits 708 to control switches A, B, C 704 to
open upon detection of the current surge indicative of an arc 725
at the respective ion beam electrode, for example, extraction
electrode or arc slit 720, suppression electrodes 721 and 722, or
ground electrodes 724. As illustrated, and in accordance with one
aspect of the present invention, each independent electrode supply
(e.g., Vext 703, -Vsup1 731, and -Vsup2 732) may independently arc
to ground or another electrode, thus each HV supply may be
protected by another such HVHS switch.
[0075] Arc quenching circuit 700 further comprises arc protection
circuits 715 having a current limiting resistor (R1, 2, and 3) 712,
filter capacitor (C1, 2, and 3) 714, and flyback diode (D1, 2, and
3) 716 to protect the HVHS switches 704 from switching transients
and other such overvoltage damage induced by reactive components of
the circuits associated with each HV supply.
[0076] Circuit 700 also utilizes a synchronization circuit 740 to
sequence and synchronize the reapplication of the supply voltage to
each of three respective high voltage electrodes 720, 721, and 722.
For example, it may be determined that synchronization circuit 740
should re-close switches B and C 704 after re-closing switch A.
Further, synchronization circuit 740 may provide time delays
appropriate for reapplication of each individual HV supply. Any
other sequence or timing relationships between the supplies is
anticipated, including multiple switch reapplications and/or
re-openings with any number of HVHS switches connected in series or
parallel with each other or with each HV supply.
[0077] It will be appreciated that self-adaptive switching and
synchronization controls, can be used as a variation of the
synchronization circuit 740, within the context of the present
invention, wherein changing currents, voltages, infrared or other
wavelengths of light energy, or other such changes associated with
or indicative of an arc 725, are monitored and used to adjust the
sequence and/or timings of the synchronization to compensate or
further mitigate such arc induced supply variations.
[0078] It will also be appreciated that the HVHS switches can be
switched at one or more particular frequencies to modulate or
otherwise provide dynamic pulse width control of the several
electrode voltages, and/or the beam current in response to the
detection of an arc. In addition to the detection and quenching of
electrode arcs, the HV power supply modulation may also be provided
in response to some known non-uniformity in the system (e.g., where
a particular beam current results in a predictable non-uniformity).
It may also be appreciated that while one use of such modulation is
to achieve a uniform dosage on a wafer, it could be used to achieve
any predetermined dopant profile, where uniformity is a subset of
the general case.
[0079] It is further appreciated that arc quenching circuit of the
present invention may be utilized prior to the implantation as well
as during implantation.
[0080] Alternately, the beam current can be monitored to control
the arc quenching circuit or to otherwise regulate a relatively
constant beam current in response to HV supply variations when
electrode arcing occurs.
[0081] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary protection circuit 810 such
as may be used across or in series with a HVHS switch 804 to absorb
energy from reactive elements external to the respective HV switch
804, and to limit an over-voltage across the switch in accordance
with one or more aspects of the present invention. The protection
circuit 810 also protects the switch 804 and other associated
components by dampening any ringing induced by switching transients
from the HVHS switch 804. Protection circuit 810 is similar to the
protection circuit 110 of FIG. 1 and 510 of FIG. 5. Protection
circuit 810 comprises a series capacitor Cs connected in series
with a resistor Rs, the protection circuit 810 being wired in
parallel with a HVHS switch 804. The HVHS switch 804 comprises a
HVHS switch (e.g., a series stack of MOSFET transistors) and a
diode Dp connected in parallel with the switch. The HVHS switch 804
may be provided, for example, with or without the parallel diode
Dp.
[0082] It will be appreciated in the context of the present
invention that two or more such HVHS switches may be connected in
series or parallel with each other or with a HV supply to quench an
arc that occurs in association with an ion source, an ion
implanter, or any other such equipment utilizing high voltage power
supplies, for example.
[0083] FIG. 9A illustrates a simplified diagram 900, of normal 2D
wafer scanning motion between an exemplary ion beam 130 and a wafer
910, wherein the wafer 910 is moved simultaneously in a vertical
direction 920 and a horizontal direction 930 by a motion control
system, for example. The vertical scan motion 920 illustrated,
generally may occur more slowly than the horizontal scan motion
930. The resulting scan motion provided by the exemplary motion
control system produces a compound motion which has a somewhat
diagonal scan vector across the wafer 910. These scans repeat each
horizontal row and over-scan the edge of wafer 910 each horizontal
scan until a wafer exchange position 935 is achieved past the edge
of the wafer 910 at one extreme end of the horizontal scan 930 and
the vertical scan 920.
[0084] A first scan (solid line) 936 of the ion beam 130, indicates
an exemplary path starting from a first scan starting point (A) 940
and proceeds simultaneously through multiple horizontal scans
motions and a vertical scan to a first scan end point (B) 945. A
second scan (dotted line) 937 indicates an exemplary return path of
the ion beam 130 (or wafer), which traverses to a second scan start
point (C) 950 and proceeds through other multiple horizontal scan
motions and a return vertical scan to a second scan end point (D)
955 and returns to the first scan start point A 940. Scanning
continues in the manner until adequate dose is implanted in the
wafer. Thereafter, the wafer scanning and implanting is completed
and the wafer motion returns to the wafer exchange position 935 at
the extreme end of the horizontal scan 930 exchange and process
another wafer 910. The amount of over-travel of the relative motion
between the ion beam 130 and the wafer 910 is also known as the
overscan region 960.
[0085] FIGS. 9B-9G illustrate 2D wafer scan motion between an
exemplary ion beam 130 and a wafer 910 similar to that of FIG. 9A
and two methods of re-applying the ion beam (repainting) after loss
of the ion beam due to a disruption in the high voltage power
supply caused by the occurrence of an arc, for example, at the high
voltage electrodes.
[0086] When an arc is encountered during a wafer scan, the ion beam
130 may be disrupted either for a longer duration creating a glitch
stripe 972 of FIGS. 9B-9D, or briefly creating a glitch hole 987 of
FIGS. 9E-9G (a short disruption) each glitch having a corresponding
loss of dose. These areas of dose loss may then be repainted in
accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.
[0087] In FIGS. 9B-9D, for example, when an arc occurs during
implantation, the encoder positions of the horizontal and vertical
motors driven by the motion control system may be monitored, so
that the initial detection position X and final detection position
Y associated with the arc may be recorded. The arc quenching
circuit would function as previously described to quench the arc
between initial detection position X and final detection position
Y. Subsequent to the arc detection and quenching, the wafer
scanning and ion implantation may continue as usual, or may proceed
according to the example stripe repainting method as illustrated in
FIGS. 9B-9D and as follows.
[0088] For example, wafer scanning proceeds as usual until an arc
is detected at the initial detection position X, where the HVHS
switch (e.g., 504, 704) is opened to disable the ion beam 130.
Meanwhile, wafer scanning continues to the final detection position
Y where motion decelerates to a stop. At Y the HVHS switch is
closed again to re-enable the ion beam 130 for a repaint along the
glitch stripe 972 as shown in FIG. 9C. As the wafer accelerates
back up to speed horizontally, the vertical motion is reversed to
repaint 977 the ion beam along glitch stripe 972 from the final
detection position Y back to the initial detection position X,
where the HVHS switch is opened again to disable the ion beam 130
until an end of the horizontal scan Z is encountered. Wafer
scanning then moves the wafer from Z to Y and may or may not stop
at Y, but with the HVHS switch remaining in the OFF or disabled
state. Then, at Y, the HVHS switch is closed again to enable the
ion beam. Then, the normal implantation operations continue until
all the required scans are complete as previously described for
FIG. 9A.
[0089] Similarly, in FIGS. 9E-9G, when an arc occurs during
implantation, the wafer scanning and ion implantation may proceed
according to the following exemplary hole repainting method
illustrated and described, because the ion beam can not only be
disabled quickly by the HVHS switch, but also can be enabled
quickly by the HVHS switch. With the use of HVHS switch, the glitch
will only leave a hole of less doped area on the wafer, and the
hole of the start and ending position (initial and final position)
can be recorded by a control computer. Therefore, the repaint can
be done after the completion of the normal wafer scans. Thus, this
repaint is so called the hole repaint.
[0090] For example, wafer scanning proceeds as usual until an arc
is detected at an initial detection position W, where the HVHS
switch (e.g., 504, 704) is opened to disable the ion beam 130 for a
predetermined period of time, if, example, the glitch length
exceeds about 1 ms. For example, the predetermined period of time
may be about 5-20 ms to account for all anticipated arc durations.
After the predetermined time period, the HVHS switch is closed to
enable the ion beam at X, the final detection position. Meanwhile,
wafer scanning motion continues as usual to a first row scan
position Y and normal implantation operations continue until all
the required scans are complete as shown in FIG. 9F, and as
previously described for FIG. 9A.
[0091] Then, to perform a hole repaint 997 between W and X, the HV
switch is opened to disable the ion beam 130, and the wafer is
moved to a row repaint position Z corresponding to the beginning of
the row wherein the glitch hole 987 occurred. The wafer scan moves
toward Y, and the HVHS switch is closed again at W to re-enable the
ion beam 130 for a repaint 997 along the glitch hole 987 as shown
in FIG. 9G. When the wafer reaches X, the HV switch is opened to
disable the ion beam 130. When the scan reaches the end of the
horizontal scan Y the scan motion may stop and the hole repaint
method is complete.
[0092] The advantage of doing a hole repaint is, that the wafer
scanning will not be interrupted during the normal scan. Thus, the
overall implantation productivity can be higher than that of the
stripe repaint.
[0093] In addition to the stripe and hole repaint methods described
above, for example, at the end of a horizontal scan 930 and
vertical scan 920, at the wafer exchange position 935, or at the
end of a particular row scan, a repaint process may be initiated,
for example, by a modified trigger control circuit (e.g., 508 of
FIG. 5, or 708 of FIG. 7), or a modified synchronization circuit
(e.g., 740 of FIG. 7), as previously described. Such a modification
would further make a trigger control circuit operable to receive a
command (see 508 of FIG. 10A, and 1108 of FIG. 11) from the motion
control system or the implanter computer to initiate the repaint
process.
[0094] The repaint process initially may include turning OFF the
ion beam 130 via the HVHS switch (e.g., 504, 704) for the ion
source (e.g., 120 of FIG. 5) and the extraction/suppression
electrodes 720, 722, for example. The ion beam 130 or wafer 910 may
then be moved to a first horizontal and vertical scan position
(e.g., W of FIG. 9E) where the arc was initially detected, for
example, by first returning the beam to the beginning of the row
(horizontal) Z wherein the arc was initially detected. In this way,
the scan motion can begin a row as usual prior to encountering the
position of the initial arc detection (e.g., W). Thus, the wafer
will then be fully accelerated up to the same speed as that which
was present when the arc was initially detected. Once at the
position of initial arc detection W, the ion beam 130 is enabled by
closing the HVHS switch (e.g., 504, 704), while the wafer 910 is
horizontally and vertically scanned 930 and 920, respectively, in
front of the ion beam 130. When a second horizontal and vertical
scan position (e.g., X) associated with the final detection of the
arc is encountered, the HVHS switch 504, 704 is opened again to
disable the ion beam 130.
[0095] Alternately, the ion beam may be repainted 977 in the
opposite direction of the initial scan direction, for example,
starting from the final detection position Y of FIG. 9C, and
proceeding in a scan direction to the initial detection position X.
This direction, however, may not reproduce the dose losses as
precisely as those achieved by repainting the ion beam 130 in the
same direction as the original scan direction (see the original
direction indicated by the arrow for short glitch hole 987 and long
glitch stripe 972).
[0096] FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary arc quenching circuit 1000
utilized in association with the high voltage supply 503 of an ion
source 120 such as may be used in an ion implantation system (e.g.,
200 of FIG. 2) in accordance with the present invention. The
trigger control circuit 508 has an external trigger or control
input 1010 for externally controlling the triggering of the HVHS
switch 504, for example, by a computer, or by another such
device.
[0097] FIG. 10B illustrates the effect of using external control of
the HV switch to control the ion beam on and off. For example,
external control may be provided in response to a faraday cup
current (Ifaraday) waveform 1060 that provides a proportionate
sample of the ion beam current (Ibeam). The faraday cup current
1060 is used to provide a trigger voltage 1070 for the external
trigger input 1010 to the exemplary arc quenching circuit 1000 of
FIG. 10A, such as may be used in accordance with one or more
aspects of the present invention. For example, at a given instant
of time, if the ion beam 130 is expected to be present at the
faraday cup or on the wafer, a high current 1060a is produced, and
a low level trigger voltage 1070a is applied. However, if the beam
is not present at the faraday cup or on the wafer, faraday current
1060b is zero, and a high level trigger voltage 1070b is applied,
which when provided to external trigger input 1010, switches OFF
HVHS switch 504 to quench the arc. In this way, the switch can be
used to artificially shut off or start the ion beam very
quickly.
[0098] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary arc quench controller 1100
having an arc quench circuit 1102, is used in an ion implanter
(e.g., 200 of FIG. 2), utilizing a HVHS switch 504 between a high
voltage supply 503 and an electrode (not shown) of the implanter
200. Arc quench controller 1100 is similar to the arc quenching
circuits of FIGS. 5, 7, and 10A, and as such need not be completely
described again for the sake of brevity. The arc quench controller
1100 utilizes a switch control circuit 1108 to sequence, control,
and synchronize the reestablishment of the current and voltage to
one or more electrodes from other switches 1110, to determine the
duration of arc loss by long glitch detector 1120, and coordinate
repaint commands 1130 from a motion control system 1150 or forced
switch control commands 1140 from the ion implantation system in
accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.
[0099] Optionally, the other HVHS switches 1110 may be from other
electrode supplies of the same ion implanter, or they may be from
other HVHS switches of other similar arc quenching circuits (AQCs),
which are not shown. These switches need to be synchronized to
ensure the desired order and timing for opening and closing the
switches 1110. As indicated above, the duration of a glitch, or
loss of the ion beam, may be detected by a long glitch detector
1120, to determine if the glitch is long enough to require the
repaint procedure as described above. Conversely, if a glitch is
short enough, a determination may be made to ignore the loss. Such
a determination level may be set, for example, by the end user of
the ion implantation system. If a long glitch (e.g., 972 of FIG.
9B) is detected and a repaint of the ion beam 130 is required, the
HVHS switch 504 could be forced OFF during the glitch to quench the
arc.
[0100] Further, when the long glitch 972 is detected by long glitch
detector 1120, the repaint process may be initiated upon assertion
of the repaint command 1130 from the scan motion control system
1150. With the use of HVHS switches, the long glitch can be defined
as the duration of the glitch longer than about 1 ms. During this
repaint process, the HVHS switch control is forced ON/OFF, as
illustrated in FIG. 10B, in response to the repaint command 1130,
and in response to the positions achieved by the motion control
system 1150, and as described previously.
[0101] In addition because the HVHS switches 504 are present in the
circuit of the present invention to quench arcs, the implanter
system is also provided with the ability to simply turn the ion
beam 130 ON or OFF at will, either manually with a switch or by way
of command 1140 from one of the implanters control systems, its
computer, or by an external input.
[0102] As FIG. 10B illustrated, it may be particularly beneficial
to be able to turn the beam 130 ON/OFF, for example, when loading
or unloading a new wafer 910, during other types of wafer exchange,
at the start/end of each wafer scan, or in the over-travel regions
960 of each row scan of a wafer 910. This is so called beam duty
factor reduction. This is to say that by disabling the beam via the
HVHS switches, the total time required of the ion beam in the beam
line and the wafer process chamber is reduced. Accordingly, the
glitch quench controller 1100 of the present invention facilitates
reducing the "beam duty factor" should reduce the particle count on
a wafer, because the beam will be used to a greater percentage
usefully on the wafer 910 and less on the other surfaces of the
implanter adjacent to the wafer 910 (e.g., in the over-travel
regions 960).
[0103] Although the glitch quench circuits and glitch quench
controller of the invention has been illustrated in association
with a HV power supply for an ion source and an extraction
electrode, it will be appreciated that such circuits may also be
used in association with the other HV supplies and electrodes of an
ion implanter, or other such ion sources and accelerators,
including other HV applications subject to HV arcing and are
anticipated in the context of the present invention.
[0104] One aspect of the present invention provides a method of
quenching an arc and repainting the ion beam is presented and
described. One implementation of the present invention effectively
quenches such high voltage arcs which occur at an electrode of an
ion implanter and by opening a high voltage high speed switch wired
in series between the electrode and a high voltage supply which
provides the electrode potential to control the ion beam. When the
arc is then extinguished, the electrode potential is restored,
before the HV supply has had a chance to fully discharge.
[0105] Thereafter, any dose losses experienced during the arcing
may be restored by returning the ion beam/wafer to the location
where the arc occurred, repainting the ion beam over such areas,
and toggling the ion beam ON/OFF during the repaint operation using
the same HVHS switch.
[0106] One such method 1200 is illustrated in FIG. 12, representing
an exemplary method for quenching an arc in an ion implanter, using
an arc quenching circuit (e.g., 500 of FIG. 5, 700 of FIG. 7, and
1000 of FIG. 10A, or the arc quenching controller 1100 of FIG. 11)
of the present invention in accordance with several aspects of the
present invention. Although the example method 1200 is illustrated
and described hereinafter as a series of acts or events, it will be
appreciated that the present invention is not limited by the
illustrated ordering of such acts or events. In this regard, some
acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other
acts or events apart from those illustrated and/or described
herein, in accordance with the invention. In addition, not all
illustrated steps may be required to implement a methodology in
accordance with the present invention. It is further noted that the
methods according to the present invention may be implemented in
association with the wafers, wafer cassettes, wafer sensor, wafer
handling system, and modeling system illustrated and described
herein as well as in association with other apparatus and
structures not illustrated.
[0107] Method 1200 comprises an example arc quenching method that
may be used to extinguish an arc that may occur at an ion beam
controlling electrode of an ion implanter (e.g., 200 of FIG. 2),
using an arc quenching circuit similar to circuit 1000 of FIG. 10A.
For example, optionally, a wafer 910 may be in the process of being
horizontally 930 and vertically 920 scanned at 1210 with an ion
beam 130 (either by the wafer or the ion beam moving). At 1220, a
current or voltage change (e.g., Va 620 of FIG. 6A) associated with
the arc is detected (e.g., by CT 506 of FIGS. 5, 10A, and 11, or by
a faraday cup 244 to provide l-faraday 1060 of FIG. 10B associated
with the ion beam current Ibeam) at an electrode (e.g., extraction
electrode 208 of FIG. 2) of the implanter 200.
[0108] When an arc then occurs during implantation, the encoder
positions of the horizontal and vertical motors driven by the
motion control system (e.g., 1150 of FIG. 11) of the implanter 200
may optionally be monitored at 1230, so that the initial detection
position (e.g., W of FIG. 9E) and final detection position (e.g., X
of FIG. 9E) associated with the arc may be recorded for an optional
repaint operation (e.g., method 1300 of FIG. 13). At 1240 the
duration of such an arc may be optionally detected (e.g., by
detector 1120 of FIG. 11) and used to determine if a subsequent
repaint is desired. After the detection of an arc, the arc is
quenched at 1250, by opening a HVHS switch 504 connected between a
high voltage supply 503 and the electrode 208 of the implanter 200,
thereby interrupting the power provided to the electrode 208 and
quenching the arc. When the arc is no longer detected, the HVHS
switch 504 is again closed at 1260 to reconnect the high voltage
supply to the electrode and to re-establish the ion beam.
[0109] Optionally, the wafer scanning and ion implantation may
continue as usual, for example, until the end of a row scan, or the
end of a vertical scan 920, for example, at the wafer exchange
position 935, or until the end of all the scans anticipated for a
wafer 910. Then, a repaint process may be initiated, for example,
by switch control unit 1108, or a modified synchronization circuit
(e.g., 740 of FIG. 7), as previously described. The switch control
circuit 1108 is operable to receive a command (see 508 of FIG. 10A,
and 1108 of FIG. 11) from the motion control system 1150 or the
implanter computer to initiate the repaint process.
[0110] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary method 1300 for repainting
the ion beam 130 to recover dose loss due to arcing in an ion
implanter 200, for example, using the arc quenching controller 1100
of FIG. 11 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present
invention.
[0111] Method 1300 comprises an example ion repainting method that
may be used to restore the ion dose loss during arcing in an ion
implanter (e.g., 200 of FIG. 2), using an exemplary arc quenching
controller 1100 of FIG. 11. After an arc has been extinguished, and
at the end of a horizontal scan 930, or at the end of a vertical
scan 920, for example, the repaint process may be initiated.
Initially, at 1310, the ion beam 130 is again turned OFF, for
example, using the HVHS switch (e.g., 504, 704) to the ion source
(e.g., 120 of FIG. 5) and the extraction/suppression electrodes
720, 722, for example.
[0112] The ion beam 130 or wafer 910 is then moved at 1320, to a
first horizontal and vertical scan position (e.g., W of FIG. 9E)
where the arc was initially detected, for example. This movement to
the initial scan position W may be done by first returning the beam
to the beginning of the row Z wherein the arc was initially
detected. In this way, the scan motion can begin a row as usual
prior to encountering the position of the initial arc detection
(e.g., W of FIG. 9E). Thus, the wafer will then be fully
accelerated up to the same speed as that which was present when the
arc was initially detected. Once at the position of initial arc
detection (e.g., W of FIG. 9E), the ion beam 130 is also enabled at
1320 by closing the HVHS switch (e.g., 504, 704). At 1330, the
wafer 910 is horizontally and vertically scanned 930 and 920,
respectively, in front of the ion beam 130 until a second
horizontal and vertical scan position (e.g., X of FIG. 9G)
associated with the final detection of the arc is encountered, and
the HVHS switch 504, 704 is opened again to disable the ion beam
130.
[0113] Thereafter, other such arc detection holes 987 or stripes
972 which occurred during the ion implantation may also be
repainted in a similar manner, either separately in multiple scans
or collectively in a single scan as needed. Further, it is
appreciated that the ion beam may be repainted in the opposite
direction of the initial scan direction, for example, starting from
the final detection position, and proceeding with the repaint
toward the initial detection position.
[0114] The HVHS switches are basically applied to the extraction
systems of any ion sources. It will be appreciated that the aspects
described herein are equally applicable to other ion sources
including those that provide primary electron beam current in "soft
ionization" ion sources, RF or microwave power in RF or microwave
ion sources, as well as to non-arc discharge sources.
[0115] Although the invention has been illustrated and described
above with respect to a certain aspects and implementations, it
will be appreciated that equivalent alterations and modifications
will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and
understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In
particular regard to the various functions performed by the above
described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, systems,
etc.), the terms (including a reference to a "means") used to
describe such components are intended to correspond, unless
otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified
function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally
equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the
disclosed structure, which performs the function in the herein
illustrated exemplary implementations of the invention. In
addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been
disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such
feature may be combined with one or more other features of the
other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any
given or particular application. Furthermore, to the extent that
the terms "includes", "including", "has", "having", "with" and
variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the
claims, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner
similar to the term "comprising". Also, the term "exemplary" as
utilized herein simply means example, rather than finest
performer.
* * * * *